


Birthday Memories

by draeisbae



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-06 00:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4200576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/draeisbae/pseuds/draeisbae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek finds out when Braeden's birthday is and attempts to surprise her, but things take a wrong turn when he learns why she doesn't celebrate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Slight mention of underage relations between other characters.

Braeden was due home any minute now. For what was probably the fifth time now, Derek made sure his navy button up wasn’t wrinkled and the candles he lit weren’t melting all over the table cloth.

He was kind of upset when he saw a post card in their mail wishing Braeden a happy birthday and realized that she never told him when it was. Luckily, the card had the exact date on it and he was able to put together a last minute dinner.

Derek was just putting the steaks on the plates when he heard the door slide open and boots moving across the floor.

“What’s all this?” Braeden frowned at the display. Where did Derek get candles from? And vanilla? He couldn’t even stand the unscented ones when the power went out, said he could smell all the chemicals. Not to mention, fire.

Derek smirked, thinking Braeden was playing dumb. “Like you don’t know. Did you actually think I wouldn’t do anything to celebrate babe?”

This time Braeden furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “Celebrate? Celebrate what? I mean, I finally got the part I needed for my bike, but I highly doubt that calls for steak and a path of roses.” She raised her eyebrows, looking at the ground where said pathway was.

It was Derek’s turn to look confused. “Your bike? Brae wha-no, I was talking about your birthday!”

“My birthday? I’ve never told you when that is. How the _hell_ did you find out?!” By the time she was done speaking, she had snapped, furious.

"What are you so freaked out about? Is it such a crime that I want to do something nice for my girlfriend on her birthday?”

“Stop saying that word! Damn it Derek! Did you not stop to think that just maybe, the reason I didn’t tell you is because I didn’t want you to know?!” She was in a rage at this point. Her screams echoing through the loft.

“What the hell is your problem Braeden? Why would you not want me to know when your birthday is?” Derek was genuinely concerned now. He’d never seen her act like this.

Braeden walked around the loft blowing out all the candles and then started sweeping up all the rose petals. “Because I knew you’d pull something like this. You’d throw this day in my face and then I’d be forced to explain why I hate it so much. Oh, wait, that’s happening right now!” She dropped the broom she was holding and stomped up the stair, slamming their bedroom door closed.

Derek sighed deeply, looking around at the now ruined set up. The candles were no longer lit, there was a pile of rose petals on the floor, and the food was cold. He looked over at the staircase, debating whether he should follow his girlfriend or not. After silently thinking for a few moments he decided to go upstairs. _Because it was his room too dammit and Braeden didn’t get to storm off without explanation if he’s never allowed to do the same._

As soon as he got to the door though, he hesitated. On his way to their bedroom he had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed Braeden crying. And though he couldn’t hear it even now, he could smell the salt scent of tears. He decided to just walk in, whatever it was, he needed to console the woman first.

“Brae?” She was sitting on the side of the bed, facing the closet. While he couldn’t see her, he knew she was crying, though she never made a sound when she did. “Braeden talk to me. Please. I’m sorry if I upset you. I really did have good intentions, and when a card came in the mail with your birth date on it..it seemed like a good time to do something nice for you.”

Braeden just sobbed louder.

“Damn it,” he mumbled under his breath. “I’m sorry Brae. I don’t know what’s going on, but if and when you want to tell me, I’ll be at Scott and Kira’s.” He got up and headed for the door.

“He left.”

Derek stopped in his tracks with his hand on the door knob. “What?”

“My dad. The last birthday I celebrated was my 7th. He left while everyone was out back and my mom was cutting my cake. I guess he packed his stuff while we had been doing some last minute shopping. The post card, the one with my birth date, it didn’t have a return address huh?”

Derek shook his head because no, it didn’t.

“It was probably from him. He’s been sending one every year since my 10th birthday. It was the last I saw him. I went with my mom to visit some family in Colorado. We ran into him there. He tried to apologize. Talked about an official separation and shared custody. Then some girl that was maybe only twice my age came up and kissed him. He froze, and that’s when I knew, why he really left.”

Derek moved to sit next to her on the bed. As she reached up to wipe a stray tear away, he wiped it for her and then took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. “Is that wh-” he was cut off when Braeden spoke again.

“Yeah. That’s why I hate celebrating my birthday. The memories my father left me of that day overshadow all the good ones I had. For years all I’ve gotten is a birthday card from a man who pretends to know me.”

Taking a deep breath, Derek opened his mouth to speak, but stopped short when Braeden raised a hand to stop him.

“It’s been a long time since someone’s tried to make this day a good one. The last person who did was my mother, and as I’ve told you, she passed away years ago. No one’s cared enough to do something for me, but I guess that’s partially my fault because I’ve never given anyone enough time to start caring. I’m sorry that I over-reacted Derek. I know that it probably doesn’t seem like it, but I really do appreciate that you went through all that trouble for me.”

“Braeden, that wasn’t trouble. That was me voluntarily doing something to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday because I love her. I’m sorry that you hate this day, but now that I know why, I’m gonna spend the rest of my life making sure you love it.”

Braeden smiled and rested her head on Derek’s shoulder. “I love you too, and thank you, really.”

Derek returned the smile and kissed her hair.

“Hey, do you think we can reheat the steak and potatoes?”

Letting out a laugh, Derek took her hand and began to lead her out of the room. “Come on, let’s go eat birthday girl.”

Braeden smiled shyly once again. Maybe she’d finally found someone to create new birthday memories with.


End file.
